FERMENTED BEVERAGES OF : TRADITION AND NEW APPLICATIONS

Anne Gschaedler Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnologia y Diseño del Estado de (CIATEJ, Unidad de Biotecnología Industrial), 44270; [email protected]

Key words: , tejuino, fermentation

Introduction. In general the generation of alcoholic In mezcal fermentation the composition of consortia are beverages is a complex process where the raw materials highly variable, in some cases with a significant presence have a great influence as so as all the processing of bacteria that can cause acidity problems in the final operations. In particular, during the fermentation all the product. 27 different yeasts species were isolated in microorganisms involved in it play a fundamental role in fermentation of Agave angustifolia (Oaxaca). Also various developing the features of flavor and aroma of the final yeasts were present throughout the fermentation, contrary product. In Mexico there is a wide range of traditional to what is described in the ’s fermentation where non- fermentations (1, 2, 3), and the raw materials used are Saccharomyces disappear during fermentation. By mainly corn and different species of agave. Since pre- contrast, a fermentation of Agave salmiana in San Luis Hispanic times Agave salmiana sap was fermented to Potosi only eight different yeast species could be produce . Later, after the introduction of the detected. In this case the raw material appears to play a distillation process emerges across the country, different fundamental role in yeast selection, because of the kind of mezcal which are obtained from fermented must of presence of saponins (inhibitor of microorganisms). This different agaves species. Among the most common are: selection has an impact on the characteristics of the final , mezcal, sotol, bacanora and raicilla. In the case of product; mezcal from San Luis Potosi has notes related to a traditional drink is tejuino, obtained from the raw material and Oaxaca mezcal dominant notes fermentation of processed corn flour mixed with brown related to fermentation. sugar, in this case not distilled. CIATEJ have several In the case of tejuino in the fermentation processes years working on traditional fermentation of different sampled, bacteria always dominate the fermentation. Agave musts in research and working with producers of Great differences were related to the kind of process: these beverages aimed at standardizing and improving fermentation with or without water at the beginning of the processes for obtaining these drinks without affecting the fermentation. scale and traditional image. Recently began the This great diversity is an interesting source of investigation about tejuino. microorganisms of interest. For examples some strains of This presentation aims to present a summary of the main no-Saccharomyces (K. marxianus and P. kluyveri) are findings both on the characterization of the microflora and employed to improve the volatile compounds production in on new applications found for these organisms isolated tequila fermentation; another strain of K. marxianus, T. from these traditional fermentations. delbrueckii, and C. apicola are very interesting source of enzyme particularly fructanase that could be used to Results. One of the success factors in studies of microbial hydrolyze agave fructans or synthesize FOS from sucrose. consortia is the sampling step which must be carried out in Tejuino seems to be an interesting source of probiotics. situ with appropriate culture media. Furthermore it is essential today to make a study with the culture- Conclusions. These studies are important in order to independent techniques. In our case an important culture preserve the microorganisms involved in this kind of medium is WL (4) for differentiating yeast morphologies. fermentation. Also these traditional fermentation are an As for the culture independent methods PCR-DGGE (Fig important source of microorganisms with specific functions 1) as well as real-time PCR was used. and new applications.

Acknowledgements. Principal’s financial supports: project SEP-CONACYT # 24556; project FOMIX-JALISCO 2009-05-123157 and Bilateral project # 147668.

References. 1. Wacher-Rodarte C (1995). Alimentos y bebidas fermentados tradicionales, in Biotecnologia Alimentaria. García garibay M., Quintero R., López-Munguía A., Limusa, México. 313-349. 2. García Mendoza A (1998). Con sabor a maguey: Guía de la Colección Fig.1 Typical migration profile of PCR-DGGE from mezcal fermentation. Nacional de Agavaceas y Nolináceas del jardín Botánico. Instituto de Each line corresponds to a different fermentation time. Biología-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México 3. Lappe-Oliveiras P, Moreno-Terrazas R, Arrizon-Gaviño J, Herrera- In general, both the agave based beverages and tejuino Suarez T, García-Mendoza A, Gschaedler-Mathis A (2008). FEMS Yeast Res 8:1037-1052 present complex microbial consortia with both yeasts and 4. Pallmann C, Brown J, Olineka T, Cocolin L, Mills D, Bisson L (2001). bacteria. Am J Enol Viticult 53:198-203